AAN World News: Takistan's relationship with Afghanistan, a history

[J. Hill]

AAN World News: Takistan's relationship with Afghanistan, a history

 

Takistan and Afghanistan have seen large political discourse since the Taliban Governorate was re-established after the Coalition withdrawal in August of 2021 with border skirmishes between the two nations escalating in frequency, the AAN have put together a timeline of Takistan and its history with Afghanistan so that readers can understand the developing situations more intimately.

Dating back to 636 CE, Muslim tribes founded the Kingdom of Takistan forming a Royal Family banding the tribes together until 1219 CE when Genghis Khan, leader of the Mongol Empire  subjugated the nation, forcing the royal family into exile. As a member of the Mongol Empire. The royal family, now in Istanbul under exile, remained in Türkiye for several centuries and eventually after the liquidating of the mongol empire. The land eventually became a part of the Durrani Empire by 1751, through the subsequent civil wars and foreign influences; in 1860, members of the royal family returned to Takistan, now under Afghan influence. Eventually seceding from Afghanistan after the family reunited relations between the split tribes, by 1892 the nation of Takistan was re-established and recognized by Afghanistan's King, Yaqub Khan. The nation remained closely connected to Afghanistan due to the religious, blood and diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The National Flag of Takistan (1900 - 2002)

 

After the Second World War, Takistan would seek to align themselves under the west as modernization slowly started to pick up speed within the country. However this was then reconsidered when the Soviet Union offered resources and security in exchange for access to Takistan's crude oil supply. As a result, Takistan fell under the Soviet's sphere of influence and received military surplus from the Russians, re-arming their Armed forces with Eastern-Bloc armaments and transport. The Soviets utilized Takistan's oil supply and territory as a launchpad to eventually invade Afghanistan in 1979, using Takistan's border to Afghanistan as an additional front to launch attacks from. Unknowingly involved in the conflict, Takistan received condemnation from nations that were opposed to the conflict. The United States and neighbours to Afghanistan and Takistan condemned the conflict, placing sanctions on Takistan, in turn crippling their foreign economy and placing reliance on Takistan's natural resources. As the conflict progressed the Red Army war effort was slowly crippled as U.S weapons were smuggled in via neighboring countries. In 1989 the Red Army withdrew entirely from Afghanistan. Takistan, now furious with their hand in the conflict, called for Soviet expulsion from their country. This was settled in 1990 when the Soviets reimbursed Takistan for economic damages sustained by the sanctions placed by the west. In 1996 the Taliban took control of a majority of Afghanistan, while their focus was to the north in attempts to take control of territory held by Ahmad Shah Massoud's remaining resistance, Takistan attempted to support Massoud and his allies by providing aid and leftover supplies given to them by the now collapsed Soviet Union, this led to the Taliban launching attacks on Takistan and causing an Insurgent presence in the country to build up, by 2001 Massoud was assassinated and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was established, still continuing attacks on Takistan for their hand in aiding Massoud's allies.

The World Trade Center ablaze after two aircraft were flown into the twin-towers, New York City, September 11th 2001

 

After September 11th, the U.S called for Afghanistan to surrender Osama Bin Laden, of which was offered shelter in Afghanistan by the Taliban. On the 15th, while the U.S opened channels to discuss the surrender of Bin Laden without resorting to all out conflict, Takistan condemned the Taliban in efforts to be looked upon by the West to receive assistance in their counter-insurgency operation against the Al Qaeda cells active in Takistan of which were actively aided by Taliban supply lines. On October 7th, U.S Special Operations Forces initiated bombing operations in Afghanistan, during this period, the U.S Central Intelligence Agency's paramilitary branch, the Special Activities Division (SAD), were inserted across Afghanistan as well as Takistan. Takistan received covert aid by the CIA in order to remove Al Qaeda forces in the region. Takistan received further aid by members of the U.S Special Operations Forces by form of training and financial aid packages to support economic growth. At this time Takistan allowed the U.S to establish a base within their borders to use as a staging area for scouting operations in Afghanistan. With assistance from the Afghan Northern Alliance, Kabul was captured in 2001 by U.S Forces. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan slowly collapsed and fell into tribal control by provincial elders and warlords. The lack of a government led to the formation of an interim government in December of 2001. As the hunt for Osama Bin Laden intensified, Takistan assisted the United States by providing intelligence and supply lines to Afghanistan in order to aid the interim government. In 2002 Hamid Karzai by the Afghan Loya Jirga council to a two-year term as the Afghan Head of state, becoming the first democratically elected leader of Afghanistan. Takistan supported the Karzai regime and re-established positive relations while coalition forces conducted counter-insurgency operations through the War on Terror.

The National Flag of Takistan as of 2002

 

In 2005, Takistan quickly fell into crisis when extremist groups with ties to Al Qaeda and the Taliban executed attacks on Takistan government positions, including the foreign embassies for the United States, United Kingdom and German. The attacks resulted in British and German forces deploying into Takistan. With rising counter insurgency operations in the region, Takistan suffered heavy economic damage, that including an incident in 2007 when the nation's largest crude oil refinery was destroyed by NATO forces due to insurgents using the site as a stronghold for ordnance production. Private security and development contractors assisted in the redevelopment of sectors damaged during the operations that took place in Takistan.

In late 2011, the United Kingdom and Germany requested to establish bases of operations within Takistan borders due to the strained resources after basing their deployments to the nation of our Khandahar air base. After deliberation, the Takistan Government with approval by the Takistan royal family allowed British and German troops to establish bases in the country as they did with the United States in 2001. Continuing to 2013, the insurgent presence in Takistan largely fell apart and operations switched from counter insurgency to security & assistance. Non-essential assets to the UK, Germany and U.S would eventually begin a drawdown of operations, deconstructing bases and handing control of hard structures to the Takistan Armed Forces. With military support primarily from remaining special operations forces clearing up the remaining cells of the insurgency, Takistan began rebuilding and by 2015 fully re-established peace across the country. By 2021 the Taliban regained a foothold and regained control of Afghanistan after NATO forces withdrew entirely from the country. With the re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan political issues occurred between Takistan and the Taliban Governorate. The Taliban believe Takistan to be territory of the emirate as well as being used as a puppet state by the west to influence western ideologies as opposed to the traditional Islamic lifestyle. Relations between the two nations fell apart entirely after the Taliban started targeting religious minorities and individuals who assisted the coalition during the Global War on Terror, in response Takistan opened its borders to those people under threat by the emirate.

By 2022, Council Minister for the Takistan Ministry of Defence, Farhad Esme, accused the Taliban of planning an annexation of Takistan's northern territory after police arrested nine men with plans to destroy a border checkpoint in order to allow free travel without stoppage by government forces. The Taliban counter claimed that the evidence was fake and that the arrest was not related. Minister Esme has been a large figure of opposition against interaction with the Taliban since his appointment as Council Minister in 2020. In 2023 the ministry passed a bill to modernize its armed forces with Western Bloc equipment provided by the United States in efforts to prepare for a possible annexation due to training conducted by the Taliban-Afghan Armed Forces rising in frequency near the Takistan border. Following the arrest of alleged spies for Afghanistan tensions have risen to an alltime high. With the presence of the Islamic State and other terror organizations cropping up in Takistani borders, the nation has fallen into a state of militarization in order to counter the extremist threats in the region. Prominent Islamic State cell to Takistan, ISIS North Takistan (ISIS-NT) has been seen as the largest threat to Takistan alongside the alleged potential annexation of Takistan. On the 12th of July, 2023, the U.S Embassy to Takistan was evacuated after rioting turned into a siege as rioters called for the arrest of U.S Embassy station chief Neil Barone Taron after he was allegedly responsible for bailing out Embassy staff member Mikaela Aubrite from a Takistani court after a case of manslaughter. Takistan Council Minister of the Judiciary Omar Alid called for Aubrite's extradition; however Taron intervened and resulted in the appeal's denial. This resulted in a riot outside of the U.S embassy which then sparked into a firefight as suspected members of ISIS-NT fired upon Marine security forces. This was later confirmed to be ISIS-NT when members of the group carrying their mark flooded embassy grounds when the perimeter was breached. The attack resulted in the deaths of 18 Americans; several Contractors, five Takistan-American citizens, two Marines and four Embassy staff.

Minister Esme alleges that the attack was assisted by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, supplying ISIS-NT and providing the attackers with false identities to embed without suspicion. The Taliban have neither denied nor accepted the accusation, raising tensions between the nations to an all-time high. With ISIS-NT continuing their strain of attacks the Takistan Armed Forces have continued their counter-insurgency operations while being hampered by unclaimed skirmishes on the Takistan-Afghan border. Neither Takistan or Afghanistan have claimed the skirmishes to be a result of their own. Due to the border functioning as a grey zone of unclaimed territory between Takistan and Afghanistan, as agreed by the Takistan Royal Family and Afghanistan's king, Yaqub Khan, in order to prevent disputes. Ironically this preventative measure established centuries ago has become a focal point of the Taliban-Afghan regime.

As of August, 2023, border skirmishes continue and ISIS-NT remains a prominent threat to normalcy within North Takistan. U.S and British diplomats have announced their aid to the nation by form of monetary packages, arms and humanitarian aid for those displaced during the conflict. However, like Afghanistan the trend of consistent conflict is a torment Takistan now suffers also.